Debate tickets given out at last minute
The exclusive collection of students granted the opportunity to view the NBC Republican Presidential Candidates Debate live inside Theatre 1 was a resultof limitations placed on student tickets by the network’s decision with University Communications and Marketing (UCM).
Of the 70 students whoattended the Jan. 23 debate, about 10 were chosen from the Political Science Honor Society and UCM requested the remaining60 come from Student Government (SG).
Lindsay Lewis, SG director of Governmental Affairs, said the Thursday before the debate she received a phone call from UCM at 4 p.m. asking tosubmit a list of around50 names of SG-affiliated students who could be “trusted.”
After an initial 20 studenttickets were reserved for SG executive officers, Lewis said she submitted the full roster of SG senators to UCM for names to be cleared past security.
“I had a very short amount of time to provide them with a list,” she said. “That’s what they told me do, it wasn’t my choice. I didn’t choose to just go through Student Government. I wish I could have opened it up, but that was directed to me.”
Yet the day of the actualdebate, not all senators on the standby list showed up,Lewis said.
Lewis said she foundbetween 10 to 15 students who appeared to be “well-dressed.” Thosestudents went through event security and had their names written down so they could be easily tracked if they did incite a disturbance.
“I was assuming that if they were dressed for a watch party, they would behave inside the theater,” Lewis said. “I saw a row of people who were in suits and ties, so I asked, ‘Would you like to go to the debate?’ They quickly threw their plates and cups away and ran toward the door, so they were very excited.”
NBC also distributed tickets to students who volunteered for the network throughout the week.
– Staff Report
More Stories
USF admin’s response to suicides unclear. What we know so far.
USF’s administration will not say who or how it will prevent future suicides on campus a month after a student leapt from an upper floor balcony of the Interdisciplinary Science Building – the third suicide since fall 2022. The Oracle has asked repeatedly about which USF administrators are overseeing suicide prevention initiatives and how the […]
USF SG leaders look back on campaign accomplishments while on non-speaking terms
Student body president Cesar Esmeraldi and vice president Elizabeth Volmy reached nearly every campaign goal during their term. The one thing that didn’t persevere was their unity. The pair ended their tenure reflecting on it from separate rooms. “We’ve had a great year,” Esmeraldi said. “I’m very happy with everything we’ve built. But because of […]
USF’s ‘Take Back the Night’ allows sexual survivors to share pain, resilience: ‘Recovery isn’t easy.’
A sexual assault survivor, who was the first speaker at Wednesday evening’s “Take Back the Night,” said the hardest day of their life was not when they were assaulted – it was the day after. “When I had to call my mom and tell her how her [child lost their] virginity and tell my therapist […]
USF campus ministers offer perspective on stadium development: ‘Exciting benefit of exposure.’
Take a tranquil stroll down Sycamore Drive. It’s a quieter part of campus, hidden away from the usual hustle and bustle of USF. It’s home to an area colloquially known as “Religious Row,” a collection of on-campus religious organizations. In just a few years – with the construction of an on-campus football stadium – the […]
McKinley Drive closed down for death investigation, Tampa police say
The intersection between Fowler Avenue and McKinley Drive was closed due to a death investigation late Wednesday afternoon, according to the Tampa Police Department (TPD). A man shot himself after making a bomb threat in the parking lot of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), located at 11201 McKinley Drive, according to TPD. Police said […]
USF 2024-25 A&S budget to increase student organization funding in Tampa and St. Pete
The Student Government (SG) Senate approved the 2024-25 Student Activities & Services (A&S) budget for all three campuses this Tuesday, seeing an overall increase in allocated money to student organizations. The vote was 26-0, approving the budget. Related: 2023-24 A&S budget down $5 million from last fiscal year Students pay fees in their tuition – […]